Knowles film study

#1
V

Vol865

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2012
Messages
5,872
Likes
5,777
#1
Came across some good film on Knowles' defense. Helpful to get a picture instead of just looking at stats. As I've mentioned a couple times, not the typical 4-2-5 you hear people discuss. This is an actual 4-2-5, not just a standard Nickel. A lot going on and has a lot of answers for modern offenses if our guys can pick it up.







The biggest thing is this guy has to be a very good athlete that can still tackle
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20251211_172255_YouTube.jpg
    Screenshot_20251211_172255_YouTube.jpg
    94.3 KB · Views: 36
  • Like
Reactions: Volanta, Jackcrevol, bpalmer28 and 8 others
#4
#4
I know this is stating the obvious, but Coordinators have three main jobs - recruiting top talent, coaching that talent on doing their job relentlessly after you get them (Saban was the best at that), and not getting out foxed by the opposing team's coordinators on Saturday (Lane Kiffdasian is great at that role).

Hope this new guy does a better job than Banks on the last two.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vol865
#5
#5
Vol865 said:
Came across some good film on Knowles' defense. Helpful to get a picture instead of just looking at stats. As I've mentioned a couple times, not the typical 4-2-5 you hear people discuss. This is an actual 4-2-5, not just a standard Nickel. A lot going on and has a lot of answers for modern offenses if our guys can pick it up.







The biggest thing is this guy has to be a very good athlete that can still tackle
Click to expand...

No more wasting talent. Joel Wyatt types who can learn their job and be disciplined will be lethal in this defense.
 
  • Like
Reactions: marcusluvsvols
#6
#6
Sandman Vol said:
No more wasting talent. Joel Wyatt types who can learn their job and be disciplined will be lethal in this defense.
Click to expand...

Wyatt should be a superstar in this defense as long as he is smart enough to know it inside and out. The 3 Safeties are the key to this defense and what sets it apart from a normal Nickel (5DBs) defense which is 3 Corners and 2 Safeties. Knowles likes to use 3 Safeties with different responsibilities (boundary side, field side, rover) and blitz from all 3 positions at different times. What I love is that unlike Banks, he likes to show a lot of misdirection pre-snap to confuse the QBs as to what coverage we are in on that particular play. Banks didnt do so...while other SEC teams like UGA and OK do so to great effect. We need that confusion by QBs badly to keep from getting carved up in the passing game especially. It also confuses Olines about their blocking responsibility and leads to more sacks due to missed assignments.

Its not lost on me that Safety was by far our weakest position on the team in 2025. We have zero guys on our roster right now that should start next year at Safety unless Wyatt absorbs the new system very quickly and can play as a true freshman. Farooq and Walton both struggled badly this year and Turrentine did also but will be gone. We need to grab several good Safeties from the portal...and hope that somebody among Farooq, Walton, Wyatt, Combay etc really steps up next year also and is SEC ready.

Very happy to have Knowles. Once he gets his defense installed and well practiced we should be really good. I doubt we are great on defense next year...but we will be better than 2025 IMO.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Teeman, Big Al Orange, 625 Gibbs Hall and 4 others
#7
#7
Vol865 said:
Came across some good film on Knowles' defense. Helpful to get a picture instead of just looking at stats. As I've mentioned a couple times, not the typical 4-2-5 you hear people discuss. This is an actual 4-2-5, not just a standard Nickel. A lot going on and has a lot of answers for modern offenses if our guys can pick it up.







The biggest thing is this guy has to be a very good athlete that can still tackle
Click to expand...


Theres good tape breakdown here. Good post.

He talks a lot about pass coverage which is important. Another aspect about Knowles defense that I really like is that having 4 Dlinemen and 3 Safeties is stronger against the run than most Nickel defenses that have 3 Corners that are usually much better at covering WRs than tackling. Knowles defenses have been very stout vs the run and we all know how important that is in the SEC. UGA shut down Bamas running game in the SECG making them 1 dimensional...and beat down the same team that had beaten them soundly in Athens just a few weeks prior.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Big Al Orange and Vol865
#9
#9
marcusluvsvols said:
Theres good tape breakdown here. Good post.

He talks a lot about pass coverage which is important. Another aspect about Knowles defense that I really like is that having 4 Dlinemen and 3 Safeties is stronger against the run than most Nickel defenses that have 3 Corners that are usually much better at covering WRs than tackling. Knowles defenses have been very stout vs the run and we all know how important that is in the SEC. UGA shut down Bamas running game in the SECG making them 1 dimensional...and beat down the same team that had beaten them soundly in Athens just a few weeks prior.
Click to expand...
It gives you more ability to make several coverages look the same and also easier to adjust to trips and motions IMO
 
  • Like
Reactions: marcusluvsvols
#10
#10
marcusluvsvols said:
Wyatt should be a superstar in this defense as long as he is smart enough to know it inside and out. The 3 Safeties are the key to this defense and what sets it apart from a normal Nickel (5DBs) defense which is 3 Corners and 2 Safeties. Knowles likes to use 3 Safeties with different responsibilities (boundary side, field side, rover) and blitz from all 3 positions at different times. What I love is that unlike Banks, he likes to show a lot of misdirection pre-snap to confuse the QBs as to what coverage we are in on that particular play. Banks didnt do so...while other SEC teams like UGA and OK do so to great effect. We need that confusion by QBs badly to keep from getting carved up in the passing game especially. It also confuses Olines about their blocking responsibility and leads to more sacks due to missed assignments.

Its not lost on me that Safety was by far our weakest position on the team in 2025. We have zero guys on our roster right now that should start next year at Safety unless Wyatt absorbs the new system very quickly and can play as a true freshman. Farooq and Walton both struggled badly this year and Turrentine did also but will be gone. We need to grab several good Safeties from the portal...and hope that somebody among Farooq, Walton, Wyatt, Combay etc really steps up next year also and is SEC ready.

Very happy to have Knowles. Once he gets his defense installed and well practiced we should be really good. I doubt we are great on defense next year...but we will be better than 2025 IMO.
Click to expand...
I thought Wyatt was going to be a LEO?
 
#12
#12
GAVol said:
In other words… It’s a “heavy” 4-2-5 with an Eric Berry type at the Star.
Click to expand...
In a sense, yes but with more flexibility and different alignments for the 3 safeties which allows you to disguise stuff more convincingly.

In Nickel 4-2-5 if you're running Cover 3 you basically have 2 options. Show you're running Cover 3 by rotating the SS down or leave him deep to disguise it but he's got to get all the way to the sideline to cover Curl/Flat

In a 3 safety 4-2-5 you can structure the defense to where Cover 3. Cover 1, Cover 2, Cover 4 all look relatively the same pre-snap

Pretty sure Knowles calls his Star a Rover though. Not 100% on that. Not everyone runs this style of defense exactly like Knowles. Some just have essentially a left and right SS type and FS in the Middle.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: marcusluvsvols
#15
#15
Vol865 said:
In a sense, yes but with more flexibility and different alignments for the 3 safeties which allows you to disguise stuff more convincingly.

In Nickel 4-2-5 if you're running Cover 3 you basically have 2 options. Show you're running Cover 3 by rotating the SS down or leave him deep to disguise it but he's got to get all the way to the sideline to cover Curl/Flat

In a 3 safety 4-2-5 you can structure the defense to where Cover 3. Cover 1, Cover 2, Cover 4 all look relatively the same pre-snap

Pretty sure Knowles calls his Star a Rover though. Not 100% on that. Not everyone runs this style of defense exactly like Knowles. Some just have essentially a left and right SS type and FS in the Middle.
Click to expand...
Maybe Gibson would be a good rover in this D. Probably would have been a good position for Boo but Knowles would not have but with mother.
 
#16
#16
OrangeBeachVol said:
Maybe Gibson would be a good rover in this D. Probably would have been a good position for Boo but Knowles would not have but with mother.
Click to expand...
I don't think Gibson would be ideal. Not really a downhill tackler. You gotta have someone who likes contact because you're going to be asked to add into the box frequently.

Out of we have I could see Farooq, Beasley, Dylan Lewis, and maybe Merrit being options there but it would probably be wise to add some other options
 
  • Like
Reactions: marcusluvsvols and BrianVol94
#18
#18
Vol865 said:
I thought Wyatt was going to be a LEO?
Click to expand...

Apparently he is dead set on playing Safety. He camped late with elite players this cycle snd played Safety instead of WR or Edge/Leo and was impressive. Part of him signing with us was a promise to let him have a legit shot at Safety at 6ft4in and 200lbs already. He doesnt think he is ever gonna be a 250-260lb guy and doesnt want to gain the weight.

I think he puts on 20lbs likely freshman year whether he is trying to or not just from muscle gain due to better nutrition and lifting etc. At 6ft4in though, he can carry 220lb like some WRs do and still be fast enough to cover IMO. The problem will be if he jumps to 230 or 240lbs which is both possible and likely since he is only 18 years old as a freshman. Then he probably loses some speed and is a LB/Leo. He can be a beast at Safety though and love this defense if he can keep his speed IMO. Either way he is a great 5* caliber athlete and can help us somewhere on Defense.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SubVet676 and Vol865
#19
#19
marcusluvsvols said:
Apparently he is dead set on playing Safety. He camped late with elite players this cycle snd played Safety instead of WR or Edge/Leo and was impressive. Part of him signing with us was a promise to let him have a legit shot at Safety at 6ft4in and 200lbs already. He doesnt think he is ever gonna be a 250-260lb guy and doesnt want to gain the weight.

I think he puts on 20lbs likely freshman year whether he is trying to or not just from muscle gain due to better nutrition and lifting etc. At 6ft4in though, he can carry 220lb like some WRs do and still be fast enough to cover IMO. The problem will be if he jumps to 230 or 240lbs which is both possible and likely since he is only 18 years old as a freshman. Then he probably loses some speed and is a LB/Leo. He can be a beast at Safety though and love this defense if he can keep his speed IMO. Either way he is a great 5* caliber athlete and can help us somewhere on Defense.
Click to expand...
Yeah I wonder what happens if he hits a growth spurt and starts pushing 6'5-6'6
 
  • Like
Reactions: marcusluvsvols
#23
#23
Seems like that 3rd safety would be a perfect role for Boo Carter if he mom hadn’t of led him astray. Maybe we’ll get the best safety in the portal instead tho cause I don’t think we have an great athlete on the current roster at safety
 
#24
#24
bpalmer28 said:
Seems like that 3rd safety would be a perfect role for Boo Carter if he mom hadn’t of led him astray. Maybe we’ll get the best safety in the portal instead tho cause I don’t think we have an great athlete on the current roster at safety
Click to expand...

I think we bring in at least 2 veteran Safeties with at least 1 full year playing time under their belts. Wouldnt be surprised to see 3 honestly . AP said he thinks we bring in 8-10 guys in the portal this cycle mainly on defense and I agree. I think we need another big blocking TE on offense to take Kitselmans place and that might be it other than a QB3 for offense.

We need:
.2 safety
2 DTackles
QB.
TE
???
 
  • Like
Reactions: bpalmer28
#25
#25
EastTNVol423 said:



here is another good video from his time at Ok St.
Click to expand...

That was very informative. Also points out that we have to immediately fix one of our biggest issues, tackling, open field tackling especially. We have the horses to run this type D but we have to execute almost perfectly and thats what has me worried. Hopefully, Knowles is the disciplinarian (sp) we need amd makes the players focus amd learn.
 
  • Like
Reactions: marcusluvsvols
New Posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

Advertisement



Back
Top